1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to tool changing, and particularly, to a tool changer and a tool change method for a drilling machine for printed circuit boards (PCBs).
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 10 illustrates a PCB drilling machine including a spindle 1. The spindle comprises a first tool 2 fixed in a collet 5 of the spindle 1 for drilling holes in a PCB. The first tool 2 requires frequent changing from a plurality of second tools 4 carried in a tool-pan 3. Because the space between adjacent second tools 4 is too small, acquisition thereof directly by the collet 5 of the spindle 1 is difficult to achieve. Therefore, an auxiliary arm 6 and an auxiliary tool-magazine 7 are required. The auxiliary arm 6 retrieves a second tool 4 from the tool-pan 3 and loads the second tool 4 into the auxiliary tool-magazine 7 which provides sufficient space for the collet 5 of the spindle 1 to retrieve the second tool 4 therefrom. Changing the first tool 2 by the tool 4 usually includes locating the auxiliary arm 6 over the tool-pan 3, lowering the auxiliary arm 6 and retrieving the second tool 4 therewith, thereby emptying a seat in the tool-pan 3, elevating the auxiliary arm 6, repositioning the auxiliary arm 6 over a first tool-carrier 8 of the auxiliary tool-magazine 7, lowering the auxiliary arm 6 and locating the second tool 4 into the first tool-carrier 8, elevating the auxiliary arm 6 again, relocating the spindle 1 over a second tool-carrier 9 of the auxiliary tool-magazine 7, lowering the spindle 1 and placing the first tool 2 into the second tool-carrier 9, elevating the spindle 1, relocating the auxiliary arm 6 over the second tool-carrier 9, relocating the spindle 1 over the first tool-carrier 8, lowering the auxiliary arm 6 and retrieving the first tool 2, lowering spindle 1 and retrieving the second tool 4, elevating the spindle 1 and the auxiliary arm 6, starting the spindle 1 rotation, relocating the auxiliary arm 6 over the empty seat of the tool-pan 3, lowering the auxiliary arm 6, and depositing first tool 2 into the empty seat of tool-pan 3. The above-mentioned process can be very time consuming.
Thus, an improved system and method for changing tools is needed.